On Thursday, Feb. 7th, Center for Inspired Teaching held their second annual Intergenerational Speak Truth for the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. Students and community members from across the DC metro area gathered at Dunbar High School (DCPS) to engage in conversation focused on current social justice issues. 

Cosby Hunt of the Center for Inspired Teaching grounded the opening conversations on the four national demands for the week of action. Everyone selected a national demand to discuss in groups of approximately 20 participants. 

Later breaking into four intergenerational dialogues, there were youth-led discussions on the topics below:

Topics & Readings

Shades of Colorism

Readings:

• Let’s Talk About Why Black Men Avoid Discussing The “C-Word”

• Dark-Skinned Girls On Colourism | Sister

• What Dark-Skinned People Will Never Tell You
  

History of Blackface and its Presence Today

Readings:

• Blackface: The Birth of An American Stereotype

• These 5 politicians also recently faced their own blackface scandals

• Erin Burnett: One of these people is the governor of Virginia
  

Ally or Accomplice? Where non-Blacks fit into BL

Readings:

• Opportunities for White People in the Fight for Racial Justice

• What Is Performative Allyship?

• Is This Your Queen? Ellen Pompeo, Growth and Performative White Allyship
  

Kamala Harris’ Controversial Criminal Justice Record

Readings:

• Kamala Harris was a Tough-on-crime Prosecutor in a Black Lives Matter Era

• Can Kamala Harris Repeat Obama’s Success With Black Voters? It’s Complicated

One of the attendees, Denisha Jones, shared the following reflection on the event. Jones is on the national planning committee for Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action.

Tonight I was fortunate to attend the Intergenerational Dialogue hosted by Inspired Teaching at Dunbar High School for the #BlackLivesMatterAtSchoolWeek of Action. We began with a brief discussion about the demands and I chose “Hire More Black Teachers.” I listened to high school students from across the DMV share how much it means to them to have Black teachers and how many of them don't get that opportunity.

Then we picked a topic for dialogue. I chose colorism. Once again, I was shocked to hear that these students are going through the same things I did, including being called “oreo,” being accused of “talking white,” and accepting that they would have to go to prom alone because they were too dark to get a date. Just like me. As much as it hurt to realize things hadn't changed much, I did realize something had changed. They were not like me or at least they stopped being like me way before I did. It wasn't until I moved to DC when I was 20 that I finally learned to accept my blackness as a positive aspect of my identity. These young ladies and men were there tonight because they knew nothing was wrong with them and they wanted others to know too. They gave me hope that all is not lost.